Sorting Good and Bad.
ANSWER
Here are some key points that might be covered in this context:
- The Problem of Good and Bad: The text may discuss how individuals develop their internalized sense of what is good and bad based on their upbringing, cultural influences, and personal experiences. It might delve into the conflicts that can arise when people have conflicting internal definitions of good and bad.
- Importance and Impact: Understanding the problem of good and bad is crucial because it plays a significant role in a person’s well-being. Confusion or unresolved conflicts related to these concepts can lead to guilt, shame, low self-esteem, and difficulty in forming healthy relationships.
- Ideal Self vs. Real Self: The text may touch upon the idea of an “ideal self” – the person one aspires to be, and the “real self” – the person one actually is. The ability to sort out good and bad influences how closely aligned these two selves are. Struggles in this area can lead to feelings of inadequacy or impostor syndrome.
Examples of how people respond to the challenge of sorting out good and bad:
- Perfectionism: Some individuals may respond by striving for perfection in an attempt to align with their ideal self. This can lead to excessive self-criticism and anxiety.
- Denial or Projection: Others might deny their flaws or project their negative attributes onto others to avoid confronting their own shortcomings. This can strain relationships and hinder personal growth.
Cognitive distortions that can arise from a failure to sort out good and bad effectively might include:
- All-or-Nothing Thinking: Viewing oneself or others as entirely good or entirely bad, without recognizing the nuances.
- Catastrophizing: Blowing small mistakes or imperfections out of proportion, leading to excessive anxiety.
- Personalization: Assuming that everything is about oneself, leading to unwarranted guilt or self-blame.
Regarding the application of these ideas to the client in the video:
To work with the client in the video, you might:
- Engagement: Approach the client with empathy, creating a safe and non-judgmental space. Encourage her to explore her beliefs about what is good and bad in herself and her life.
- Assessment: Assess the client’s self-concept, identifying any discrepancies between her ideal and real selves. Explore how these discrepancies impact her mood and behaviors.
- Interventions: Use cognitive-behavioral techniques to challenge cognitive distortions. Help the client reframe negative thoughts and develop a more balanced view of herself and her experiences. Encourage her to set realistic goals that align with her real self.
- Relationship Building: Recognize the importance of forming a therapeutic alliance to address deeper issues related to the problem of good and bad. Encourage open communication and trust building.
It’s important to tailor therapeutic interventions to the specific needs and characteristics of the client, while drawing on the insights from the text to guide the therapeutic process.
QUESTION
Description
Read chapter 11 in part IV of Changes that Heal, “What is the Problem?”.
- Watch the video “Case Study Clinical Example CBT: First Session with a Client with Symptoms of Depression (CBT Model).”
- Navigate to the threaded discussion and respond to the following discussion prompts:
- Give a general description of what the problem of good and bad is according to your text. Why is this important and how does can it affect a person’s well-being?
Based on the knowledge you gained from the reading, discuss the difference between the ideal self and the real self and how they are impacted by the ability to sort out good and bad.
- Give two examples of how people respond to the challenge of trying to sort out good and bad. What cognitive distortions (wrong views of self, others or the world) can arise from a failure to sort these out effectively?
After watching the video, describe how the ideas in the reading could be applied to working with this client. How might you approach engaging the client? What would you look for in assessing the client? What cognitive behavioral or other therapeutic interventions might you use to intervene? Briefly discuss each of these areas, referencing ideas from the reading and applying them to your thoughts on the woman in the video.